Courthouse erupts with joy at Al Jazeera journalists release

Thursday, February 12, 2015 - 01:05

Relatives and friends of two Al Jazeera journalists, Mohamed Fahmy and Baher Mohamed, say they are ecstatic at the decision of an Egyptian court to release the men after more than 400 days in jail, even though the case against them is still pending. Rough Cut (No reporter narration).

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ROUGH CUT (No reporter narration)
Al Jazeera journalists Mohamed Fahmy and Baher Mohamed, were released from an Egyptian jail on Thursday after more than 400 days, but the court said the case against them was still pending.
Fahmy, a naturalized Canadian citizen who gave up his Egyptian citizenship, raised the Egyptian flag as the judges assembled to deliver their decision.
The court erupted with joy as the judges announced he would be released on bail of 250,000 Egyptian pounds ($32,765). Mohamed, who has only Egyptian citizenship, was released without bail. Judge Hassan Farid said the next hearing would be on Feb. 23.
Fahmy's finacee, Marwa Omara says she is thrilled.
"I'm very happy and I just want to say thank you Egypt. Thank you for doing the right thing. I would like to thank my country that I love for doing the right thing. I'm very happy. I'm very happy and it's time for me and for Mohamed to be relaxed," she said.
His brother Adel Fahmy told journalists he too is relieved, even though the legal case has not yet been dropped.
"It's a release on bail so there's a travel ban obviously and we just need now to finish it off completely, and he's being vindicated now", he said.